Fowlpox virus promoters

Abstract

PCT No. PCT/GB88/00922 Sec. 371 Date Apr. 17, 1990 Sec. 102(e) Date Apr. 17, 1990 PCT Filed Oct. 21, 1988 PCT Pub. No. WO89/03879 PCT Pub. Date May 5, 1989.Fowlpox virus (FPV) promoter DNA for use in expressing a foreign gene inserted in a FPV vector by homologous recombination, which comprises the promoter of any of the following FPV genes: (1) The FB4b gene which encodes a protein of about 657 amino acids in a sequence beginning <IMAGE> (2) The BamHI fragment ORF8 gene encoding a protein of about 116 amino acids in a sequence beginning Met Glu Glu Gly Lys Pro Arg Arg Ser Ser Ala Val Leu Trp Met Leu Ile Pro Cys Gly; (3) The BamHI fragment ORF5 gene encoding a protein of about 105 amino acids in a sequence beginning Met Ile Ile Arg Arg Asn Asn Lys Ala Leu Gly Ser Val Met Ser Asp Phe Ile Lys Thr; and (4) The BamHI fragment ORF10 gene encoding a protein of about 280 amino acids in a sequence beginning Met Lys Phe Lys Glu Val Arg Asn Thr Ile Lys Lys Met Asn Ile Thr Asp Ile Lys Ile.

We claim: 
     
       1. An isolated DNA consisting essentially of the promoter sequence which is located immediately 5' to an open reading frame in the fowlpox virus genome, said open reading frame being selected from the group consisting of: (1) The FB4b gene which is fowlpox virus encodes a protein of about 657 amino acids in a sequence beginning ##STR12## (2) The BamHI fragment ORF8 gene encoding a protein of about 116 amino acids in a sequence beginning ##STR13## (3) The BamHI fragment ORF5 gene encoding a protein of about 105 amino acids in a sequence beginning ##STR14## (4) The BamHI fragment ORF10 gene encoding a protein of about 280 amino acids in a sequence beginning ##STR15##   
     
     
       2. DNA according to claim 1, wherein the promoter sequence is of length up to 150 nucleotides. 
     
     
       3. DNA according to claim 2, wherein the promoter sequence is of length up to 100 nucleotides. 
     
     
       4. DNA according to claim 2, wherein said 150 nucleotides are selected from the group consisting of: ##STR16## 
     
     
       5. Recombinant DNA comprising the promoter sequence which is located immediately 5' to an open reading frame in the fowlpox virus genome, said open reading frame being selected from the group consisting of: (1) The FP4b gene which in fowlpox virus encodes a protein of about 657 amino acids in a sequence beginning ##STR17## (2) The BamHI fragment ORF8 gene encoding a protein of about 116 amino acids in a sequence beginning ##STR18## (3) The BamHI fragment ORF5 gene encoding a protein of about 105 amino acids in a sequence beginning ##STR19## (4) The BamHI fragment ORF10 gene encoding a protein of about 280 amino acids in a sequence beginning ##STR20##  transcribably linked to a foreign gene.   
     
     
       6. Recombinant DNA according to claim 5, wherein the promoter sequence is of length up to 150 nucleotides. 
     
     
       7. Recombinant DNA comprising a non-essential region (NER) sequence of fowlpox virus interrupted by DNA according to claim 5. 
     
     
       8. A recombinant cloning vector comprising DNA according to claim 7 and vector sequence.